Today there is a transport-strike in Bangalore. I don't know what's up for the day. I have a training in office 9.30 onwards and I decided to hop on to a friend's car. I informed him last night itself. But today morning had a different news for me at 5.15 am in the morning.
An auto-rickshaw fellow had asked for two hundred bucks from an aunty, who wanted to reach Manipal Hospital. The distance was just 5 kilometers. And no other auto fellow was ready for less due to the strike.
She called me up and after formal apologies, asked if I can drop her on my bike. She herself was about 2 kilometers away from my home. I said I will try and let her know in two minutes.
My bike was in office.
I called up my friend. He did not answer. I walked up to his place. Thankfully, he had woken up. Took his car and drove up to the place where this lady was.
I didn't notice that his car has a yellow colored license plate, which is meant for transport vehicles in India (He rents it out to some IT companies here). Personal vehicles have white license plates.
As I started to drive, about four fellows stopped me and said that I need to go back or get hurt. Mine was a transport vehicle and I cannot move on.
I came out. And looked at them coolly.
'Beat me up', I said. And looked straight into each of the guys' eyes.
I remembered a old college dialogue - and said that to them: 'Whoever touches me first will die today, even if I die.'
I don't know what they call it in English or Kannada, but in Marathi, it is a Koyta that one of them was holding. 5.45 am. Sky is still quite dark.
My eyes were rock steady. My mobile was blinking in silent mode in the front seat of the Toyota Innova. Someone was calling.
They stepped back.
I reached the lady's place and I found both uncle and aunty waiting on the roadside, in the cold morning weather.
The 87 year old man hugged me. 'He will be discharged today they said. He is doing fine.'
Their son was hit by major road accident. Had returned from US last week and inadvertently drove on the right of the road for just few seconds - before he was hit by a lorry. India drives on the left side.
I left her at the hospital gates. And asked her not to come back till evening when things are better.
She smiled with no teeth in her mouth and a warm hug that you can feel only with a 85 year old mom.
